Do you want a sturdy, durable, and reliable gas grill but are on a tight budget? You’re in luck as I made this guide of the best gas grills under 200 bucks just for this occasion.
With gas grills, there are no complications like setting up the fuel, lighting it on fire, and waiting for eons for the temperature to rise like with charcoal grills.
Your main and only focus is cooking and nothing else.
Instead of spending weeks, if not months, searching for the best gas grill without breaking the bank, check out these top 6 candidates.
What Is a Good Gas Grill for Under $200?
- Best Small: Giantex Propane Tabletop Gas Grill
- Best Under $150: Cuisinart CGG-180 Petit Gourmet Gas Grill with VersaStand
- Best 3-Burner: Char-Broil Classic 360 Liquid Propane Gas Grill
- Best With Side Burner: Huntington 30040HNT Liquid Propane Gas Grill
- Best for the Backyard: Char-Griller E3001 Grillin’ Pro Gas Grill
- Best Portable: Coleman Roadtrip X-Cursion Propane Grill
Top 6 Best Gas Grills for Under $200
Coleman Roadtrip X-Cursion Propane Grill
- Compact and portable
- For camping, tailgating, cookouts, and beach parties
- Double burners deliver 20,000 BTUs
- PerfectFlow™ pressure regulator
- Foldable steel legs
The Coleman RoadTrip X-Cursion is a light and portable propane grill with a large cooking area, making it ideal for both travelers and backyard grillers.
Cooking Potential
This baby comes equipped with porcelain-enameled cast iron grates that are big enough to cook up to 15 burgers at once.
The 2 independently adjustable burners that output 10,000 BTU (20,000 BTU total) turn any food into a culinary delight in a short amount of time.
Storing and Transporting It Is Simple
It folds up to an easily manageable size, which is about the size of a collapsed vacuum cleaner.
Instead of carrying it, you roll it like a rolling suitcase.
Easy Setup
It’s easy to understand the instructions and the assembly process is a breeze.
You don’t need any tools as all of them are provided for you.
Great Temperature Control and Even Heat Distribution
Cooking on the grill goes well and the heat is easy to control, with the temperature controls working flawlessly.
The Bad Side of This Grill
Like many grills in this price range, it’s prone to rust if you leave it exposed to the elements.
Another issue I’ve found with this grill is the weight-to-size ratio. Given the small and portable size, the thing is quite heavy. Brace yourself when picking it up (when this need arises, of course).
- Portable
- Ceramic-coated cast iron grates
- Compact
- Easy and quick assembly (Bonus: all the tools are provided)
- Foldable legs
- A bit heavy for its size
- Prone to rust
Giantex Propane Tabletop Gas Grill with Foldable Legs
- Durable 430 stainless steel construction
- Easy To Operate
- Foldable legs and lockable lid
- Reaches high temperatures quickly
- Perfect for tailgating, camping, picnics, boating, traveling,...
- 266 square inches
The Giantex is an ideal small grill that you can use both at home and on the road.
Don’t Let the Small Size Fool You
It looks small and cute but packs quite a punch.
This compact grill can put out 20,000 BTUs, can quickly reach the desired temperature, and has 2 independently adjustable burners.
Even the cooking area is surprisingly large for its size: 266 square inches. I managed to squeeze 12 burgers on it which is my personal record.
Can Be Easily Carried by Yourself
The thing is so compact (it only measures 22 x 18 x 15 inches / 56 x 46 x 38 cm) and lightweight (26 lbs / 11.8 kg) that I am able to carry it to the car and out with ease.
Because of the lockable lid, you can carry it like a suitcase.
My Personal Experience
Last summer I went on a camping trip with my friends and family to the local forest at a riverbank and took this grill with us.
Dinner was as fast and easy as one-two-three.
I just unfolded the grill, attached the gas canister, pushed and turned the ignition, and voila!
Even the cleanup was a breeze. I only wiped the grates clean and pulled out the grease collector.
Makes for a Great Gift
Do you know a camper, tailgater, boating enthusiast, or traveler? Surprise them with this grill.
Downsides
It’s quite vulnerable to rust, so I suggest getting yourself a grill cover or as I did, applying non-rust coating on the outside.
Also, the temperature control gauge is very, very sensitive. Be careful when cranking up the heat. Do it painfully slowly.
- Portable
- Lightweight
- Perfect for traveling/camping
- Large cooking space
- Easy to use
- Foldable legs
- Prone to rust
- Sensitive temperature knob
Cuisinart CGG-180 Petit Gourmet Portable Gas Grill with VersaStand
- 160 sq in
- PORCELAIN-ENAMELED COOKING GRATE
- 5,500 BTU burner
- COMPACT
- FREESTANDING OR TABLETOP
- Sets up and packs away in seconds
- From 4 to 6 people at once
The direct but smaller competitor to the Giantex above with a special feature.
Even Smaller and Cheaper Than Giantex
If you’re on a really tight budget where every dollar makes a difference and/or space is at a premium, then this one is your go-to choice.
It has a smaller cooking area (160 square inches) but is large enough to feed 4 people at once.
Instead of 2, the Petit Gourmet has a single but powerful 5,500 BTU* burner.
The smaller size means lesser weight. Weighing at only 17 lbs / 7.7 kg, you won’t even know you’re carrying it. Even for a grill that’s lightweight.
*it doesn’t sound a lot but this grill gets very hot despite its low BTU rating. See why is this so here.
It’s Freestanding
It has a telescopic stand that you can set at your desired height.
This is a big plus when camping/traveling because you don’t need to take a table with you or search for an elevated place to put the grill on.
Easy Assembly and Easy Disassembly
It’s easy to set up and even easier to pack up.
You just fold the legs, lock the lid, and off you go.
Because of the suitcase-like design, carrying it will make you feel like a businessman.
Known Issues
Making the handle lid out of plastic is a really bad idea. After a year of constant use, the thing melted away.
Despite its really compact size, the cooking area is quite small. Don’t use the grill for groups larger than 4 or 5 people.
- Cooks evenly
- Portable
- Easy cleanup
- Lightweight
- Very easy setup and breakdown
- Small footprint
- The plastic handle can melt off
- Small cooking area
Char-Broil Classic 360 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill
- 360 square inches of primary cooking space
- 170 square inch warming rack
- 3 stainless steel in-line burners
- Porcelain-coated steel lid and firebox
- 2 Metal side shelves
- porcelain-coated grates
This cooking giant has plenty of space you need to pull off a successful backyard BBQ without making a large dent in your wallet.
Total Cooking Area of 530 Square Inches
Size matters when it comes to cooking on this grill.
The primary cooking area is 360 (hence the name) square inches and measures roughly 26 x 14 inches.
The warming rack above has an additional 170 square inches, making it ideal for toasting buns, bread, and side dishes.
About the Grates
The grates are porcelain-coated steel wire.
This makes them nonstick, distribute heat evenly, and is easy to clean.
30,000 BTU of Sheer Cooking Power
This grill features 3 durable 10,000 BTU in-line stainless steel burners with a Piezo ignition system for fast and reliable startups with the push of a button.
Plenty of Prep Space
The 2 side shelves are time-saving features.
No more searching and placing tables or chairs next to the grill so you can have a place to put your utensils and prep your food.
Easy and Straightforward Assembly
It took me about an hour to put this thing together.
There were many bits and pieces but everything went smoothly.
What Is Dislike
There is no thermometer.
In the end, this didn’t stop me from having a good time cooking steaks and burgers.
- Large cooking and preparation area
- Easy assembly
- Simple to clean
- 3 burners
- No lid thermometer
Huntington 30040HNT Liquid Propane Gas Grill
- Cast aluminum cook box
- 30,000 BTU stainless steel main burner system
- 430 sq. in. of total grilling area; 300 sq. in. primary + 130 sq. in. warming rack
- 10,000 BTU side burner
- Porcelain-coated grates
- Weather-resistant side shelves
The Huntington isn’t that known in the grilling world but that doesn’t mean it’s not a worthy addition to your backyard.
Cooking Potential
It has 30,000 BTUs of heat on its 3 individually controlled burners.
The main cooking area is 300 square inches and the warming rack is 130. In total, this grill has a combined cooking area of 430 square inches.
It’s not as big as Char-Broil but it still has enough space to feed your whole family and a couple of friends when you invite them for a relaxing weekend BBQ party.
Comes With a Side Burner
The left side shelf includes a 10,000 BTU side burner that adds additional cooking space.
This is ideal for making sauces, soups, and side dishes.
What’s more, when it’s not in use, it doubles as a side shelf.
There’s Still Room for Improvement
The assembly instructions are hard to follow. There are only diagrams, no written instructions. The diagrams themselves are badly designed and after a few steps, I put them aside and searched online.
Thoroughly check the whole thing once it arrives. Mine came with a huge dent in the right side shelf and a few bolts were missing.
- Ceramic-coated grates
- 2 side shelves
- Heat is evenly distributed
- Large grilling area
- Side burner included
- Badly-written assembly instructions
- May arrive damaged
Char-Griller E3001 Grillin’ Pro Gas Grill
- 40,800 BTU 3-Burner
- 12,000 BTU side burner
- Workstation with barbeque tool set storage hooks
- 438 square inch grilling area + 192 square inch warming rack
- EASY TO USE & CLEAN
- Heavy duty
- Cast iron cooking grates
- Dual smoke stacks
- Stainless steel thermometer
- STYLISH DESIGN
Char-Griller E3001 Grillin’ Pro is a durable and reliable propane grill that will satisfy all of your cooking needs for years to come.
A True Behemoth
If the Classic 360’s cooking area isn’t enough for you, then get a load of this one.
The total cooking area is a whooping 630 square inches.
Even some more expensive models aren’t this big.
Like many backyard models, this one’s cook box also features 2 cooking areas:
- Main: 438 square inches
- Warming Rack: 192 square inches
In both cases, the grates are porcelain-enameled cast iron.
The high lid enables you to cook bigger foods, like beer can chickens and Thanksgiving turkeys.
Burn Baby, Burn
Its 3 burners are able to generate 40,800 BTUs of heat, making short work of anything you put on it.
Because of this sheer power, your steaks will always have those famous steakhouse sear marks.
In addition to this, the left side table features a 12,000 BTU side burner that acts as a side table with the lid closed.
Plenty of Space
Besides the side table/burner combo on the left, there’s another side table on the right that includes 3 utensil hooks.
None of these tables fold down, though.
Great for Smoking
The barrel design makes this grill ideal for smoking, doubling this grill’s usefulness as a smoker.
What Char-Griller Won’t Tell You
Depending on your local weather conditions, it could rust within three months after you ordered it. There is an easy fix: simply get yourself a grill cover.
Another common problem is quality control, resulting in missing or broken pieces. Simply follow up with your product’s warranty and exchange it for a new, better one.
- High heat output
- Large cooking surface
- Simple ignition system
- Porcelain-coated grates
- Great for smoking
- 2 side shelves (one doubles as a burner)
- Prone to rust
- Quality control issues
Gas Vs. Charcoal Grills
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Gas Grills
Advantages
Compared to charcoal grills, gas grills have several advantages, the biggest of them being convenience, ease of use, and low cost in the long run.
Imagine coming home from a hard day of work and wanting a nice juicy steak or a burger.
With a gas grill, you just push a button to start the fire and while preparing the food the grill will heat up to the desired temperature. It’s that simple.
Once you’re finished grilling, you wipe the grates clean. No hassle.
If you have a charcoal grill, you’d need to set up the charcoal, ignite it, and wait quite a while for the temperature to reach the correct level. And to maintain it you’d have to regulate the airflow.
But with a gas grill, you just turn the temperature gauge to achieve this.
Cleaning a charcoal grill is also more time-consuming and tedious.
Though gas grills are more expensive than charcoal ones you’ll save tons of money in the long run.
The reason is fuel.
Gas is cheaper than charcoal, and if you have a natural gas line, you’ll also save on gasoline because it will save you trips to the local supermarket/gas station because you don’t need to go there to exchange or refill the propane tank.
Other advantages worth mentioning are:
- While cooking, gas grills give off steam which adds moisture to the food
- Gas yields very little carbon compared to charcoal when burning
- No ash
- A lot of them have additional features
- Fewer flare-ups
Disadvantages
Gas grills are not without drawbacks, however, and in some situations charcoal grills outperform them.
- Limited mobility: In general, charcoal grills are more portable. This is even more true when your gas grill is connected to your natural gas line
- No smokey flavor: While it’s true that some gas grills double as smokers, you still won’t get that real charcoal smokey taste
- Gas is not as hot as charcoal
- Uncontrolled flare-ups are much more dangerous: Gas is more explosive than charcoal. A leak is a disaster waiting to happen
- Gas grills take longer to assemble: They tend to be more complex than charcoal ones, thus significantly increasing assembly time
Taste The Best, Leave The Rest
On this list of the best gas grills under 200 dollars, I felt that the Coleman Roadtrip X-Cursion was the best fit because I can cook with it both in the backyard and on the road. Other reasons include portability, durability, and a decent-sized cooking area.
Now that you’ve got the market narrowed down to these 6 best grills in the class, picking out your perfect grill should be fast and easy.
📌 Pin Me for Later Reading! 📌
Save this image to Best Gas Grills on Pinterest.
Do you prefer natural gas or propane? Please don’t start a fight in the comments. I want a cultured discussion.
Be the first to comment